Conduit contact-plow for electric railways.



J. S. MoWH-IRTER. GONDUIT CONTACT PLOW FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1913. 1 Q97,250 Pafaented May 19, 191i 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

(Ml-IA WRAP" C0-- WASHINGZION, D. C-

J. S. MGWHIRTER. GONDUIT GONTACT'PLOW FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1913.

Patented May 19, 1914.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. S. MOWHIRTER. I CONDUIT CONTACT PLOW FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.21, 1913.

1,097,250. Patented May 19, 19 14.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

' l l I l JOHN S. MoWI-IIE'IER, GE NEW YORK, N. Y. I

CONDUIT CONTACT-PLOW FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Application filed January 21, 1913. Serial No. 743,290.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that 1, JOHN S. ll/ICVVHIRTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful invention in Conduit Contact-Flows for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to conduit or underground contact mechanism for electric railways.

The object of the invention is to provide a conduit or underground contact plow mechanism which is simple in construction, and efficient in operation.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the nature referred to wherein the contact shoe may be quickly and easily re moved or replaced.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the character referred to wherein the act of inserting the contact shoe in its supporting frame establishes the required circuit connections with the truck or car wiring.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference signs appearing thereon :Figure 1 is a view in vertical transverse section, parts broken off of an underground electric railway conduit and railway bed, showing the relation and arrangement of the current conductors located in the conduit, and the application thereto of a contact plow mechanism embodying and in accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a contact plow mechanism embodying my invention, the supporting rods being in transverse section. Fig. 3, is a view in vertical lon itudinal section on the line 3, 3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4, is a view in horizontal section on the line 4, 4, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a view in horizontal section on the line 5, 5, Fig. 2,

looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but on a somewhat larger scale, parts broken off and parts broken out and in section, to show more clearly the circuit connections. Fig. 7 is a broken view in side elevation, parts broken out and parts in section, showing a modifiedarrangement embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 9 is a View in vertical section on the line 9, 9, Fig. 8.

The same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In the ordinary construction of plows for underground or conduit conductors for electric railways, as heretofore commonly employed, the contact plow has been bolted to a frame which is supported upon the truck and flexible conductor connections, suitably connected to the plow conductors are employed having contactplugs at their free ends, the plugs being inserted in proper sockets on the truck to complete the electrical connection to the wiring on the car. This construction is objectionable in many respects. In the first place, in order to remove a plow for repair or replacement it is necessary to remove the nuts and bolts which secure it to the frame on the truck, and this is slow and tedious work besides being difficult of access. Again where the flexible conductor sections are employed with contact plugs in the free ends thereof, said conductor sections swing loosely from the plow when the plugs thereof are withdrawn from the sockets on the truck, and hence they frequently become broken at their point of connection with the plow, thereby destroying them or impairing their efficiency. Moreover, these loose conductor ends or sections afford the opportunity for workmen or others to attempt to handle, transport or lift the plow by means of said ends or sections, and this frequently causes breakage of the conductor sections.

It is among the special objects and purposes of my present invention to avoid these and other practical objections encountered in connection with contact plows of the ordinary construction, and in carrying out my.

invention, I propose to eliminate the loose conductor sections or ends carried by the plow and instead, to provide means whereby the act of inserting the plow in its seat in the supporting frame, or of removing the same from such seat automatically completes or breaks the circuit connection between the plow and the wiring on the car. I also propose to provide a construction wherein the plow may be removed from its supporting frame or replaced therein, without the removal of securing nuts and bolts. In another form of embodiment of my invention I propose to provide automatically movable stop supports for the plow, and to release said stops by the movement of the plow supporting frame in order to release the plow from said frame. These and other desirable objects are attained in the structures which I have chosen to show as illustrative embodiments of my invention, and which will now be described.

In the drawings, 10 designates an electric car truck, 11 the truck wheels, 12 the track rails and 13 the underground conduit. These may be of the usual or any well known type or construction. Located in the conduit 13 are the usual current supply and return conductors or conductor rails 14, 15, with which respectively the contacts 16, 17, cooperate, said contacts being carried by the plow 18, which in turn is carried by the truck, and is disposed so as to operate between the conductor rails 14, 15, as clearly shown, and in the usual manner. The upper end of the plow is received in a casting 19, at the ends of which are mounted the insulating blocks 20, 21, contact blocks 22, 23, are carried by the insulating blocks 20, 21, respectively, and the contact blocks are provided with stems 24, 25, which extend into the casting 19. From the contacts 16, 17, electrical connection is made to the contact blocks 22, 23, in any suitable or convenient manner. In the form shown, a contact strip 26, extends from contact 16 to contact block 22, being connected to the stem 24, of said block. In similar manner a contact strip 27, extends from the contact 17 to the contact block 23, or to the stem 25 thereof. These contact strips 26, 27, are positioned between the side plates of the plow and are suitably insulated from said plates and from each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

hen the plow is in position on its sup porting frame the contacts 16, 17, are in operative relation with respect to the conductor rails 14, 15, and the contact blocks 22 23, which are in electrical connection as above explained, with the contacts 16, 17 through the strips 26, 27, are in cooperative contact relation with car wiring terminals so that the act of placing the plow in its seat in the supporting frame therefor will bring the contact blocks 22, 23, into position to complete the circuit connections from the conductor rails to the car wiring. Similarly the mere act of removing the plow from its supporting frame breaks this circuit connec tion. The contacts forming terminals of the car wiring and with which the contact blocks 22, 23, cooperate, are indicated at 28, 29. They are preferably spring supported from the side members or posts 30, 31, of the frame which supports the plow and the connect-ion is continued on from said terminal contacts 28, 29, to the car wiring through connections 32, 33, which constitute permanent portions of the car Wiring. 7

The frame posts 30, 31, are formed or provided with sleeves 34, 35, which fit over supporting rods 36, 37, carried by the truck. The frame bracket 38, which carries the plow is carried at its ends upon the posts 30, 31. In the usual arrangement, and in order to afford simple means for securing desirable adjustments one end of the bracket 38, is hinged upon a vertical stud or pin 40, see Fig. 4, of the side post 31, while the other end of the bracket is provided with an elongated slot 41, through which extends the vertical stud or pin 42 of side post 30. By this arrangement not only can the plow be moved or shifted along the bars or rods 36, 37, for adjustment or other purposes, but also its supporting frame may be slightly tilted about the vertical pin 40 in order to facilitate access to the plow for removal, replacement, inspection or other purposes.

The frame bracket 38 which receives the plow is provided with vertical portions 42", 45, see Figs. 3 and 4, forming bearings against which one side of the plow lies when in working position. The bracket is also pr vided with inwardly extending engaging portions 43, forming supporting seats to receive and support the plow. The plow is provided with a side member 44, which has extended ends, see Figs. 2 and 4, which are received in the seats formed by the projecting lips 43, and the seat portion 42 of the bracket. Thus the plow is removably supported upon the frame without securing nuts or bolts. IVhen it is desired to remove the plow it is simply raised until the ends of side member 44 clear the projecting lips 43, and then the plow is bodily removed laterally or sidewise from its seat. The raising movement necessary to enable the ends of the side member 44 to clear the projections 43 is also sufiicient to carry the contact blocks 22, 23, out of engagement with the ear wiring terminal contacts 28, 29, so that the plow may be easily detached or replaced in position without the necessity of removing bolts and nuts, and besides, loose connector ends for plugging into the car wiring circuits are avoided.

It may sometimes be desirable to support the plow on removable stops'on the supporting frame so that by withdrawing the stops, the plow is detached from the frame. In Figs. 7, 8, and 9, I have shown an arrangement for accomplishing this result, and in carrying out this idea I propose to use the rocking movement of the plow supporting frame, as above explained, to accomplish the release of the plow supporting stops. In

Cir

this instance the plow is indicated at 50,-

and its supporting frame at 51. This frame is mounted to swing upon the vertical stud 52, at one end while the elongated slot 53 at its other end permits such swinging movement. The projecting ends of the side members 54, of the plow are received and rest upon stops 55 pivotally mounted in the frame to extend into the pathof the projecting ends of the side member 54, when the parts are in position for use. A system of levers and links, indicated at 56, is connected to the pivot pin 52, which is stationary, and to the pivoted stops 55, so that when the frame 51 is rocked about the pin 52, the stops 55 are withdrawn from supporting relation with reference to the plow thereby releasing the plow and permitting it to be removed downwardly endwise from the frame 51. To replace the plow it is simply inserted endwise upwardly, through the opening in the frame and then the frame is rocked into position for use which movement will cause the stops to be projected into position to form supports for the plow. In this form of my invention the plow contacts 57, are brought into cooperative relation with the car wiring terminals 58, by the act of inserting the plow into its seat in the supporting frame, and consequently the opening or passage 59 should be of sufiiciently large area as to permit the entire shoe to pass through.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of my invention and constructions embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a contact plow mechanism for electric railways, a laterally movable supporting frame, car wiring terminal contacts carried thereby, and a plow removably supported without securing devices on said frame and having cooperating contacts, said contacts being brought into cooperation by the act of seating the plow on said frame.

2. In a contact plow mechanism for electric railways, a laterally movable supporting frame having a vertical seat, a plow having contact blocks, and adapted to be removably received vertically, without securing devices in said seat, and car wiring terminals carried by the frame, said con tacts and terminals being brought into cooperative relation by the act of seating the plow in the seat in the frame.

3. In a contact plow mechanism for electric railways, a plow having supply and return conductor contacts, contact blocks carried by the plow and in electrical communication with said contacts, a laterally movable supporting frame having a vertically disposed seat for the plow, and car wiring terminals carried by the frame, said contact blocks and terminals being brought into cooperative relation by the seating of the plow in its vertically disposed seat in the supporting frame.

4. In a contact plow mechanism for electric railways, a plow having contact members, a supporting frame therefor having car wiring terminals and a vertically disposed seat, said contact members and terminals being brought into cooperative relation by the act of seating the plow in its seat in the supporting frame, said frame being pivotally connected at one end upon a vertical aids whereby it is mounted to swing latera l til In a contact plow mechanism for electric railways, a plow having contact blocks, and a horizontally extending side member, a supporting bracket having a seat and inwardly extending projections or lips to embrace the projecting ends of said side member, and car wiring terminals into contact with which the contact blocks are brought when the plow is seated in its seat on its supporting framework.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, on this 18 day of January A. 1)., 1913.

JOHN S. MCVVI-IIRTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

